Crispy Ground Beef Chimichangas with Quick Queso

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A big, golden, shatter-crisp rolled burrito stuffed with cumin-scented ground beef, refried beans and melted Jack — the kind of plate-filling Tex-Mex you'd order in Austin for fifteen bucks. The trick is chilling the rolled burritos for 20 minutes so the tortilla sets and the seams stay glued shut in the oil. No deep fryer needed: an inch of oil in a skillet does it in four minutes, and there's a brush-and-bake option for weeknights that gets you about 90% of the crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup beef broth

• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup canned refried beans
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup cooked white rice (optional)
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk
• 8 oz American cheese, torn or chopped
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Make the filling: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes until softened. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook 7 to 8 minutes until well browned with no pink remaining.
2. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and salt and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add the green chiles, tomato paste and beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes over medium, stirring, until the liquid has almost completely cooked away — the filling should mound on a spoon, not pool. Spread it on a plate and cool 15 minutes (a wet or hot filling will steam your tortillas apart).
3. Warm the tortillas so they roll without cracking: stack them, wrap in a damp paper towel, and microwave 30 to 40 seconds. Keep them covered.
4. Roll: lay a tortilla on the counter and spread 1/4 cup refried beans across the lower third, leaving a 2-inch border on each side. Top with a quarter of the beef, 1/3 cup Jack cheese and 2 tablespoons rice if using. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold both sides in tightly, then roll up firmly into a snug cylinder. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Chill the rolled chimichangas seam-side down on a plate or sheet pan, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (up to 8 hours). This is the step that keeps them from unrolling in the oil.
6. Make the queso while they chill: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium, whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in the milk in a slow stream and bring to a bare simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the American cheese a handful at a time, whisking until smooth, then stir in the drained green chiles and garlic powder. Keep warm over the lowest heat, stirring occasionally.
7. TO FRY: pour 1 inch of vegetable oil (about 4 cups) into a deep 10- to 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high to 360°F on a thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
8. Add two chimichangas seam-side down, holding each with tongs for the first 10 seconds so the seam sets. Fry 2 minutes, then turn and fry 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, spooning oil over the ends, until deep golden all over. Transfer to the rack, sprinkle lightly with salt, and repeat with the remaining two, letting the oil return to 360°F between batches.
9. TO BAKE INSTEAD: heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the upper third. Place the chilled chimichangas seam-side down on a wire rack set in a sheet pan, brush all over generously with 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, and bake 22 to 25 minutes, until blistered and deeply browned. No flipping needed — the rack crisps the underside.
10. Rest 3 minutes, then transfer each chimichanga to a plate. Ladle warm queso over the middle, leaving the ends exposed and crunchy, and pile on shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, a spoonful of sour cream, avocado slices and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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